You’d think dentists would love Halloween — but some are trying to fight the candy avalanche.
For parents concerned about their kids’ nonstop sugar high since Halloween, there is a way to get it out of the house: Dentists across the country are accepting candy by the pound as part of a buy-back program.
These benevolent dentists– who are forgoing the cavity revenue Halloween could bring– are collecting the candy and paying $1 a pound. Wisconsin dentist Chris Kammer started Halloween Candy Buyback in 2005 as a way to cut down on the unending consumption of candy, according to NPR.
The candy doesn’t go in the garbage, either — it is sent, along with toothbrushes of course, to Operation Gratitude, a group that puts care packages together for troops overseas.
These days, over 2,500 dentists participate, according to NPR. There’s even a zipcode search on the group’s website to see what dentists near you offer the exchange, and the list includes dozens of suburban and city dentists.
So let your kids eat some of their candy, then suggest they exchange the rest for some money. They’ll be doing a good deed — both for the troops and for their teeth.
